US20230233382A1 - Method for manufacturing wearable article - Google Patents

Method for manufacturing wearable article Download PDF

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Publication number
US20230233382A1
US20230233382A1 US17/921,713 US202117921713A US2023233382A1 US 20230233382 A1 US20230233382 A1 US 20230233382A1 US 202117921713 A US202117921713 A US 202117921713A US 2023233382 A1 US2023233382 A1 US 2023233382A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
rotary drum
space
wearable article
absorptive body
continuous material
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Pending
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US17/921,713
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English (en)
Inventor
Toyoshi Umebayashi
Natsuki Ikeda
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Zuiko Corp
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Zuiko Corp
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Assigned to ZUIKO CORPORATION reassignment ZUIKO CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: IKEDA, NATSUKI, UMEBAYASHI, TOYOSHI
Publication of US20230233382A1 publication Critical patent/US20230233382A1/en
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00—Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15—Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/15577—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing
    • A61F13/15699—Forming webs by bringing together several webs, e.g. by laminating or folding several webs, with or without additional treatment of the webs
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41H—APPLIANCES OR METHODS FOR MAKING CLOTHES, e.g. FOR DRESS-MAKING OR FOR TAILORING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A41H43/00—Other methods, machines or appliances
    • A41H43/04—Joining garment parts or blanks by gluing or welding ; Gluing presses
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00—Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15—Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/15577—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing
    • A61F13/15617—Making absorbent pads from fibres or pulverulent material with or without treatment of the fibres
    • A61F13/1565—Making absorbent pads from fibres or pulverulent material with or without treatment of the fibres by depositing continuous layers of fibrous material between webs, e.g. wrapping layers of fibrous material
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00—Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15—Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/15577—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing
    • A61F13/15707—Mechanical treatment, e.g. notching, twisting, compressing, shaping
    • A61F13/15747—Folding; Pleating; Coiling; Stacking; Packaging
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00—Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15—Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/15577—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing
    • A61F13/15764—Transferring, feeding or handling devices; Drives
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00—Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15—Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/15577—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing
    • A61F13/15804—Plant, e.g. involving several steps
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00—Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15—Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/15577—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing
    • A61F2013/15821—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing characterized by the apparatus for manufacturing
    • A61F2013/15861—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing characterized by the apparatus for manufacturing for bonding
    • A61F2013/15869—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing characterized by the apparatus for manufacturing for bonding with ultrasonic energy

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a wearable article.
  • a method for manufacturing a wearable article involves superposing a front body part and a back body part of a continuous material on each other, the front body part and the back body part making up a wearable article, and winding the continuous material including the front body part and the back body part superposed on each other around a rotary drum to convey the continuous material.
  • the method also involves moving an anvil roller of a sealer unit outward and homeward along straight travel paths in a direction crossing a direction in which the continuous material is conveyed, with the sealer unit being rotated at a rate identical to that of the rotary drum, while the continuous material including the superposed front body part and back body part is conveyed by the rotary drum, and thereby joining the front body part and the back body part to each other through liner sealing areas along the outward-and-homeward travel paths in an area of either end of each wearable article in the continuous material.
  • the method for manufacturing a wearable article shown in Patent Literature 1, causes a difference in peripheral velocity between one of the front body part and the back body part disposed on an inner periphery side of the drum and the other body part disposed on an outer periphery side (for example, see a first part W 1 and a second part W 2 of a continuous material W in FIG. 9 ) when the continuous material, from which wearable articles are made, is wound around the rotary drum with the front body part and the back body part being superposed on each other.
  • Such a discrepancy in sealing area has a dimension of 1 mm or more that is visible on a peripheral surface of an ordinarily-used rotary drum with a large diameter of approximately 2 m.
  • the discrepancy is further noticeable especially for a wearable article such as an underpants-type diaper that includes a thick absorptive body due to an increased difference in peripheral velocity between the sealer unit and either the front body or the back body caused by the thickness of the absorptive body.
  • a method of the present invention for manufacturing a wearable article includes: a superposing step of superposing a first part and a second part of a wearable article on each other with an absorptive body interposed between the first part and the second part, the wearable article being included in a continuous material; a conveying step of winding the continuous material including the first part and the second part superposed on each other around an outer peripheral surface of a rotary drum, putting at least a part of the absorptive body into a space between two support faces that are separated from each other on the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum in a rotation direction of the rotary drum, and conveying the continuous material with the at least part of the absorptive body put into the space by rotation of the rotary drum such that the first part and the second part are supported by the two support faces and the at least part of the absorptive body is disposed inside relative to the two support faces in a radial direction of the rotary drum; and a joining step
  • FIG. 1 is a process drawing for illustrating a method for manufacturing a disposable diaper as an example of a method for manufacturing a wearable article according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic elevation view showing a configuration of an ultrasonic welding device used to execute a joining step shown in FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 3 is across-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2 .
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 .
  • FIG. 5 is an illustrative drawing showing a process in a method for manufacturing a wearable article according to an embodiment of the present invention, the process being executed to put absorptive bodies arranged at equal intervals on a continuous material into recesses constituting spaces formed in an outer peripheral surface of a rotary drum in a conveying step and join a first part and a second part of the continuous material together with each of the absorptive bodies put into each of the recesses in a joining step.
  • FIG. 6 A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the recess constituting a space formed in the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum in FIG. 5 .
  • FIG. 6 B is an illustrative cross-sectional view showing a situation in which the absorptive body is put into the recess in FIG. 6 A .
  • FIG. 7 is an illustrative drawing showing a joining step executed by the ultrasonic welding device of FIG. 2 to form outward and homeward sealing areas.
  • FIG. 8 A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a space constituted of a through-hole penetrating through a peripheral wall that forms an outer peripheral surface of a rotary drum in a shape of a cylindrical hollow body in a modification example of a method of the present invention for manufacturing a wearable article.
  • FIG. 8 B is an illustrative cross-sectional view showing a situation in which an absorptive body is put into the through-hole in FIG. 8 A in a modification example of a method of the present invention for manufacturing a wearable article.
  • FIG. 9 is a drawing showing a situation in which a method for manufacturing a wearable article using a rotary drum without a space in an outer peripheral surface in a comparative example of the present invention causes a difference in peripheral velocity between a first part and a second part superposed on each other of a continuous material on the rotary drum and the peripheral velocity difference results in a discrepancy between the first part and the second part.
  • FIG. 10 is a drawing showing a discrepancy in sealing area between outward and homeward paths when outward and homeward sealing areas are formed over the rotary drum of FIG. 9 .
  • a wearable article 20 manufactured by a manufacturing method of the present invention is, for example, a wearable article such as a disposable diaper or underpants that can cover a lower half of one's body, as shown in FIG. 1 , and includes a front body 20 a disposed on an abdomen of a wearer wearing the wearable article, a back body 20 b disposed on buttocks of the wearer, and a crotch 20 c extending from the front body 20 a to the back body 20 b through an area between the tops of the wearer's legs.
  • a wearable article such as a disposable diaper or underpants that can cover a lower half of one's body, as shown in FIG. 1 , and includes a front body 20 a disposed on an abdomen of a wearer wearing the wearable article, a back body 20 b disposed on buttocks of the wearer, and a crotch 20 c extending from the front body 20 a to the back body 20 b through an area between the
  • Both side edges of the front body 20 a and both side edges of the back body 20 b are joined together such that the coupled front body 20 a and back body 20 b form an annular shape.
  • the front and the back bodies are welded to each other through two sealing areas S by ultrasonic welding.
  • a basic procedure for manufacturing the wearable article 20 is as described below.
  • a conveying step P 1 a long sheet-shaped continuous material W extending in a specific direction is conveyed along a lengthwise direction of the material (a conveyance direction F).
  • a conveyance direction F a direction in which the continuous material W is carried being defined as a lateral direction and a direction orthogonal to the lateral direction in FIG. 1 as a longitudinal direction.
  • the continuous material W includes an inside sheet facing a body surface of the wearer wearing the wearable article, an outside sheet facing outward from the wearer wearing the wearable article, and an elastic member that is put between the inside sheet and the outside sheet and that is elastic at least in the conveyance direction F.
  • the outside sheet is made of a nonwoven sheet permeable to liquid and/or a mesh sheet, or a polyethylene film, a polypropylene film, or a heat seal resin-made nonwoven fabric that is waterproof and breathable.
  • a leg hole L is formed at a middle in the longitudinal direction of the continuous material W.
  • a region between the two leg holes L in the continuous material W is a part corresponding to the crotch 20 c .
  • Places on both sides of the part corresponding to the crotch 20 c in the longitudinal direction of the continuous material W are parts corresponding to the front body 20 a and the back body 20 b , respectively.
  • the conveying step P 1 and the leg hole forming step P 2 correspond to a preparation step for preparing a continuous material in which constituent elements are consecutive in the lateral direction.
  • the front body 20 a and the back body 20 b are coupled through the crotch 20 c in the longitudinal direction to make up each of the constituent elements.
  • an absorptive body A is joined to a place between the two leg holes L, in the continuous material W.
  • the absorptive body A includes a permeable sheet permeable to liquid, a waterproof sheet that is waterproof and breathable, and an absorptive core put between the permeable sheet and the waterproof sheet.
  • the permeable sheet is made of a nonwoven sheet and/or a mesh sheet which are permeable to liquid.
  • the waterproof sheet is made of a polyethylene film, a polypropylene film, or a nonwoven fabric that is waterproof and breathable.
  • the absorptive core is shaped by arranging crushed pulp or crushed pulp mixed with a super absorbent polymer in layers.
  • a superposing step P 4 the continuous material W on which the absorptive body A is placed is folded in half in the longitudinal direction (in other words, at a middle position in a widthwise direction (the longitudinal direction) of the continuous material W).
  • the part corresponding to the front body 20 a and the part corresponding to the back body 20 b of the continuous material W are superposed on each other.
  • a part corresponding to a side edge of the front body 20 a and a part corresponding to a side edge of the back body 20 b of the continuous material W folded in half are joined together by ultrasonic welding.
  • the parts at two places separated by a cutting zone that is set in advance as a zone to be cut in a cutting step P 6 described later of the continuous material W are simultaneously joined together by ultrasonic welding to form liner sealing areas S extending in a cross direction R that crosses (that is orthogonal to, in the present embodiment) the conveyance direction F.
  • the two sealing areas S are formed on the parts corresponding to the side edges of the front body 20 a and on the parts corresponding to the side edges of the back body 20 b.
  • the continuous material W is cut along a cutting line extending longitudinally between the two sealing areas S formed in the joining step P 5 .
  • the continuous material W is cut on a wearable article by wearable article basis.
  • a joining device used to execute the joining step P 5 is configured to move a movable part of a sealer unit outward and homeward in a cross direction R crossing a conveyance direction F in which the continuous material W is conveyed, while the continuous material W is conveyed by the rotation of the rotary drum 5 , to form liner scaling areas S 1 , S 2 shown in FIG. 7 on an outward path R 1 and a homeward path R 2 , respectively, and join the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 to each other through the formed liner sealing areas in areas corresponding to both sides of the wearable article 20 .
  • an ultrasonic welding device 1 shown in FIG. 2 is used to execute the joining step P 5 .
  • the ultrasonic welding device 1 shown in FIG. 2 includes a bring-in anvil roller 2 to bring in the continuous material W folded in half in the superposing step P 4 , a welding drum unit 3 to weld the continuous material W brought in by the bring-in anvil roller 2 , and a bring-out anvil roller 4 to bring out the continuous material W welded by the welding drum unit 3 .
  • the welding drum unit 3 includes a rotary drum 5 to hold the continuous material W brought in by the bring-in anvil roller 2 and six ultrasonic sealer units 7 serving as a sealer unit for joining of the continuous material W to ultrasonically weld the continuous material W.
  • the ultrasonic sealer units 7 include six ultrasonic horns 6 disposed on the rotary drum 5 , anvil rollers 10 (movable parts) to weld the continuous material W in conjunction with the ultrasonic horns 6 , and holding members 11 to hold the respective anvil rollers 10 in such a way as to be movable relative to the rotary drum 5 along a rotation center C 1 (i.e., movable in a superior-inferior direction in FIG. 3 ).
  • the welding drum unit 3 also includes an anvil holding drum 8 (see FIG. 3 ) in a shape of a tube to hold the holding members 11 , a cam drum 9 (see FIG. 3 ) disposed inside the anvil holding drum 8 , and six pressed members 18 (see FIG. 3 ) that are adjacent to the respective ultrasonic horns 6 and fixed to the rotary drum 5 .
  • the rotary drum 5 is able to rotate on the rotation center C 1 with the continuous material W being held on an outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum.
  • Six recessed grooves 5 a are formed around the rotation center C 1 at equal intervals on the rotary drum 5 .
  • the recessed grooves 5 a are opened outward from the rotary drum 5 , extending along the rotation center C 1 .
  • the ultrasonic horns 6 give ultrasonic vibration to the continuous material W held by the rotary drum 5 .
  • the ultrasonic horns 6 each have an output side end 6 b to output the ultrasonic vibration.
  • the ultrasonic horn 6 is disposed in the recessed groove 5 a so as to come into contact with the continuous material W held by the rotary drum 5 from inside.
  • the holding member 11 includes a holding member body 12 attached to the anvil holding drum 8 so as to be movable along the rotation center C 1 , a holding lever 19 that is attached to the holding member body 12 so as to be pivotable around a pivot 19 b and that holds the anvil roller 10 such that the anvil roller is rotatable on a rotation axis 19 a , and a push member 25 that pushes the holding lever 19 in such a direction that the anvil roller 10 moves toward the ultrasonic horn 6 .
  • the rotation axis 19 a and the pivot 19 b are axes each extending in a direction orthogonal to a plane including the rotation center C 1 and the ultrasonic sealer units 7 (a direction orthogonal to a piece of paper of FIG. 3 ).
  • the rotation axis 19 a is disposed on a distal end of the holding lever 19
  • the pivot 19 b is disposed on a middle of the holding lever 19 .
  • the anvil roller 10 is able to come into contact with and roll over the continuous material W in response to a movement of the holding member 11 along the rotation center C 1 and is able to move toward or away from the continuous material W (the ultrasonic horn 6 ) in a radial direction of the rotary drum 5 in response to a pivot of the holding lever 19 .
  • the push member 25 pushes a proximal end of the holding lever 19 with respect to the holding member body 12 in a direction in which the proximal end moves away from the rotation center C 1 and thereby pushes the anvil roller 10 in a direction in which the anvil roller 10 moves toward the ultrasonic horn 6 .
  • the push member 25 , the holding lever 19 , and the pivot 19 b correspond to a push mechanism designed to push the anvil roller 10 toward the ultrasonic horn 6 such that the ultrasonic horn 6 and the anvil roller 10 move toward each other.
  • the holding member body 12 has a cam protrusion 14 extending toward the rotation center C 1 and a pair of engagement protrusions 15 protruding in opposite directions along a direction (a crosswise direction in FIG. 4 ) orthogonal to both the cam protrusion 14 and the rotation center C 1 and extending along the rotation center C 1 .
  • the holding member body 12 is disposed between a pair of rails 17 that stand on an outer peripheral surface of the anvil holding drum g.
  • the rails 17 each have an engagement groove 17 a being opened to the opposite rail 17 side and extending along the rotation center C 1 .
  • the engagement protrusions 15 of the holding member body 12 are in engagement with the respective engagement grooves 17 a such that the holding member is movable relative to the anvil holding drum 8 along the rotation center C 1 .
  • the tubular anvil holding drum 8 includes a slit 16 a penetrating through a peripheral wall of the anvil holding drum and extending along the rotation center C 1 .
  • the cam protrusion 14 of the holding member body 12 is inserted into the anvil holding drum 8 through the slit 16 a.
  • the cam drum 9 is disposed inside the anvil holding drum 8 , and a cam groove 9 a is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cam drum 9 .
  • a distal end of the cam protrusion 14 is inserted into the cam groove 9 a .
  • the cam groove 9 a guides the cam protrusion 14 such that each ultrasonic sealer unit 7 moves along the rotation center C 1 in response to rotation of the anvil holding drum 8 relative to the cam drum 9 .
  • the rotary drum 5 and the anvil holding drum 8 are fastened to each other and rotate on the rotation center C 1 in an integral manner. Meanwhile, a rotational position of the cam drum 9 is fixed regardless of the rotation of the rotary drum 5 and the anvil holding drum 8 . Thus, the holding member body 12 moves along the rotation center C 1 in response to the rotation of the rotary drum 5 and the anvil holding drum 8 on the rotation center C 1 .
  • the anvil roller 10 and the holding member 11 at a lowest place in FIGS. 2 and 3 is disposed at a place separated from the continuous material W held by the rotary drum 5 in plan view.
  • the anvil roller 10 and the holding member 11 in this state move toward the continuous material W along the rotation center C 1 in response to counterclockwise rotation of the rotary drum 5 in FIG. 2 .
  • the anvil roller 10 crosses the continuous material W, and the anvil roller 10 at the highest place in FIGS. 2 and 3 is disposed at a place separated from the continuous material W held by the rotary drum 5 in plan view.
  • the anvil roller 10 in this state crosses the continuous material W again in response to further counterclockwise rotation of the rotary drum 5 and returns to a position of the anvil roller 10 at the lowest place in FIGS. 2 and 3 .
  • the anvil roller 10 of the ultrasonic welding device 1 moves outward and homeward on the continuous material W, and during this outward-and-homeward movement, the continuous material W is welded at parts of the sealing areas S. More specifically, the anvil rollers 10 positioned in a range outside the range E 1 in FIG. 2 are at places separated from the continuous material W in plan view. When the anvil rollers 10 come in the range E 1 , the anvil rollers 10 move successively to a place that overlaps the continuous material W in plan view.
  • a method of the present embodiment for manufacturing the wearable article 20 is implemented through the following procedure using the ultrasonic welding device 1 described above.
  • the method of the present embodiment for manufacturing a wearable article 20 includes:
  • a superposing step (see the superposing step P 4 in FIG. 1 ) of superposing a first part W 1 and a second part W 2 of a wearable article 20 on each other with an absorptive body A interposed between the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 , the wearable article 20 being included in a continuous material W, the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 being corresponding to a front body and a back body respectively of the wearable article 20 ;
  • a conveying step (in other words, a conveying step between the superposing step P 4 and the joining step P 5 in FIG. 1 ) of winding the continuous material W including the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 superposed on each other around an outer peripheral surface 5 b of a rotary drum 5 , as shown in FIGS. 5 , 6 A, and 6 B , putting at least a part (in FIGS.
  • a joining step (the joining step P 5 in FIG. 1 ) of moving an anvil roller 10 that is a movable part of each ultrasonic sealer unit 7 in FIGS. 2 to 3 outward and homeward in a cross direction R crossing a conveyance direction F in which the continuous material W is conveyed, with each of the ultrasonic sealer units 7 being rotated at a rate identical to a rate of the rotary drum 5 (for example, while the rotary drum 5 in FIG.
  • the space 23 is constituted of the recess 24 .
  • the space 23 may be constituted of a through-hole 26 .
  • the absorptive body A shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 B (b) is folded in half (in other words, a first part A 1 and a second part A 2 are superposed on each other) since the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 of the continuous material W are superposed on each other in the superposing step (P 4 in FIG. 1 ).
  • the absorptive body A is put in the recess 24
  • a portion of the second part W 2 of the continuous material W that is in contact with the absorptive body A is put between the absorptive body A and a bottom of the recess 24 , extending along the bottom of the recess 24 .
  • a portion of the second part W 2 that is not in contact with the absorptive body A is stretched obliquely from the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 to the bottom of the recess 24 .
  • the first part W 1 of the continuous material W extends in a substantially are shape along an upper surface of the absorptive body A.
  • Equation 1 the following relationship (Equation 1) is satisfied:
  • t 1 is a total thickness of the absorptive body A and the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 of the continuous material W; and t 2 is an amount of the absorptive body A and the continuous material W overflowing the ⁇ -deep recess 24 and protruding from the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 .
  • the depth ⁇ of the recess 24 is a distance from the bottom 24 c of the recess 24 to the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 .
  • the protrusion amount t 2 is equal to a total thickness t 4 of the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 of the continuous material W over the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 .
  • the amount of relative protrusion is 0 at a place at which the absorptive body A is present as compared with another place at which the absorptive body is not present.
  • the recess 24 has a pair of side walls 24 a . 24 b that are separated from each other in the rotation direction RD of the rotary drum 5 .
  • a distance between the pair of the side walls 24 a 24 b is set closer to a width of the absorptive body A (a width in the rotation direction RD)
  • the absorptive body A put into the recess 24 can be held by the pair of the side walls 24 a , 24 b in the conveying step in (ii) and the joining step in (iii).
  • the movable part of the ultrasonic sealer unit 7 shown in FIGS. 2 to 3 may be any one of the anvil roller 10 and the ultrasonic horn 6 .
  • the continuous material is wound around the rotary drum 5 such that the first part W 1 is disposed on an outer periphery side of the second part W 2 in FIG. 5 .
  • they may be disposed in reverse, in other words, the continuous material may be wound around the rotary drum 5 such that the second part W 2 is disposed on an outer periphery side of the first part W 1 .
  • the method of the embodiment for manufacturing the wearable article 20 as described above includes: a superposing step of superposing a first part W 1 and a second part W 2 of a wearable article 20 on each other with an absorptive body A interposed between the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 , the wearable article 20 being included in a continuous material W, the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 corresponding to a front body and a back body respectively of the wearable article 20 ; a conveying step of winding the continuous material W including the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 superposed on each other around an outer peripheral surface 5 b of a rotary drum 5 , as shown in FIGS.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 B putting at least a part (in FIGS. 5 and 6 B , a whole) of the absorptive body A into a recess 24 constituting a space 23 between two support faces 5 b 1 , 5 b 2 that are separated from each other on the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 in a rotation direction RD of the rotary drum 5 , and conveying the continuous material W with the at least part of the absorptive body A put into the recess 24 by rotation of the rotary drum 5 such that the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 are supported by the two support faces 5 b 1 , 5 b 2 and the at least part of the absorptive body A is disposed inside relative to the two support faces 5 b 1 5 b 2 in a radial direction of the rotary drum 5 ; and a joining step of moving an anvil roller 10 that is a movable part of each ultrasonic sealer unit 7 in FIGS.
  • the first part W 1 corresponding to the front body and the second part W 2 corresponding to the back body of the wearable article included in the continuous material W are superposed on each other with the absorptive body A interposed between the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 , and in the conveying step, with the at least part of the absorptive body A being put into the recess 24 constituting the space 23 formed between the two support faces 5 b 1 , 5 b 2 on the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 , the continuous material W including the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 superposed on each other is wound around the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 and is conveyed by rotation of the rotary drum 5 .
  • the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 are joined together with the at least part of the absorptive body A being put into the recess 24 (the space 23 ) such that the at least part of the absorptive body A is disposed inside relative to the two support faces 5 b 1 , 5 b 2 in the radial direction of the rotary drum 5 .
  • the at least part of the absorptive body A is put into the recess 24 (the space 23 ).
  • a peripheral velocity difference is made between the second part W 2 disposed on the inner periphery side and the first part W 1 disposed on the outer periphery side of the rotary drum 5 due to the thickness of the absorptive body A as shown in FIG. 9 when the continuous material W including the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 superposed on each other is wound around the rotary drum 5 .
  • FIG. 9 This, as shown in FIG.
  • the conveying step and the joining step executed with the at least part of the absorptive body A being put into the space 23 such as the recess 24 in the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 as in the above embodiment contribute to the effect of reducing a discrepancy between the outward and homeward sealing areas S 1 , S 2 through which the superposed parts of the continuous material W are joined to each other.
  • the whole absorptive body A is put into the space 23 such as the recess 24 formed in the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 , and in the joining step, the first part W 1 and the second part W 2 are joined together with the whole absorptive body A being put in the space 23 such as the recess 24 .
  • the whole absorptive body A is put into the space 23 such as the recess 24 in the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 .
  • a peripheral velocity difference between the ultrasonic sealer unit 7 and either the first part W 1 or the second part W 2 due to the thickness of the absorptive body A can be offset. This makes it possible to reliably reduce a discrepancy between the sealing areas S 1 , S 2 on the outward and homeward paths through which the superposed parts of the continuous material W are joined to each other.
  • the depth ⁇ of the recess 24 constituting the space 23 shown in FIGS. 6 A and 6 B is greater than or equal to the thickness 13 of the absorptive body A.
  • the superposed parts can be joined together. This makes it possible to reduce a discrepancy between the scaling areas S 1 , S 2 with increased reliability.
  • the recess 24 constituting the space 23 may have a pair of side walls 24 a . 24 b that are separated from each other in the rotation direction RD of the rotary drum 5 , and the absorptive body A put into the recess 24 may be held by the pair of the side walls 24 a , 24 b in the conveying step and the joining step.
  • the peripheral velocity difference between the ultrasonic sealer unit 7 and either the first part W 1 or the second part W 2 can be reduced to an increased extent. This makes it possible to further reduce a discrepancy between the sealing areas S 1 , S 2 on the outward and homeward paths through which the superposed parts of the continuous material W are joined to each other.
  • the space 23 of the rotary drum 5 described above is constituted of the recess 24 that has the bottom 24 c .
  • the present invention should not be limited to this example.
  • the space 23 may be constituted of a through-hole 26 penetrating through a peripheral wall 5 c that forms the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 .
  • a portion of the second part W 2 of the continuous material W that is in contact with the absorptive body A extends substantially linearly along an undersurface of the absorptive body A.
  • a portion of the second part W 2 that is not in contact with the absorptive body A is stretched obliquely from the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 to the undersurface of the absorptive body A.
  • the first part W 1 of the continuous material W extends substantially linearly along the upper surface of the absorptive body A.
  • the space 23 between two support faces 5 b 1 , 5 b 2 on the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 is constituted of the through-hole 26 penetrating through the peripheral wall 5 c that forms the outer peripheral surface 5 b of the rotary drum 5 .
  • the space 23 constituted of the through-hole 26 may have a pair of side walls 26 a , 26 b that are separated from each other in the rotation direction RD of the rotary drum 5 , and the absorptive body A put into the through-hole 26 may be held by the pair of the side walls 26 a , 26 b in the conveying step and the joining step.
  • the method for manufacturing a wearable article such as a disposable diaper that can cover a lower half of one's body has been described to give an example of a method for manufacturing a wearable article that includes an absorptive body.
  • the manufacturing method of the present invention can be widely applied to the manufacture of any wearable article that includes an absorptive body.
  • the manufacturing method of the present invention can be applied to a pouch-shaped wearable article such as a sanitary pad that is manufactured by superposing a first part and a second part of a continuous material on each other with an absorptive body put between the first part and the second part and thereby joining the first part and the second part together.
  • a method for manufacturing a wearable article includes: a superposing step of superposing a first part and a second part of a wearable article on each other with an absorptive body interposed between the first part and the second part, the wearable article being included in a continuous material; a conveying step of winding the continuous material including the first part and the second part superposed on each other around an outer peripheral surface of a rotary drum, putting at least a part of the absorptive body into a space between two support faces that are separated from each other on the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum in a rotation direction of the rotary drum, and conveying the continuous material with the at least part of the absorptive body put into the space by rotation of the rotary drum such that the first part and the second part are supported by the two support faces and the at least part of the absorptive body is disposed inside relative to the two support faces in a radial direction of the rotary drum; and a joining step of moving
  • the first part corresponding to the front body and the second part corresponding to the back body of the wearable article included in the continuous material are superposed on each other with the absorptive body interposed between the first part and the second part, and in the conveying step, with the at least part of the absorptive body being put into the space formed between the two support faces on the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum, the continuous material including the first part and the second part superposed on each other is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum and is conveyed by rotation of the rotary drum.
  • the first part and the second part are joined together with the at least part of the absorptive body being put into the space such that the at least part of the absorptive body is disposed inside relative to the two support faces in the radial direction of the rotary drum.
  • the at least part of the absorptive body is put into the space.
  • the conveying step a whole of the absorptive body is put into the space formed in the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum, and in the joining step, the first part and the second part are joined together with the whole absorptive body being put in the space.
  • the whole absorptive body is put into the space in the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum. This offsets the amount of protrusion of either the first part or the second part from the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum caused by the thickness of the absorptive body. As a result, a peripheral velocity difference between the sealer unit and either the first part or the second part due to the thickness of the absorptive body can be offset. This makes it possible to reliably reduce a discrepancy between the sealing areas on the outward and homeward paths through which the superposed parts of the continuous material are joined to each other.
  • the space is constituted of a recess formed in the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum, and a depth of the recess is greater than or equal to a thickness of the absorptive body.
  • the depth of the recess in the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum is greater than or equal to the thickness of the absorptive body.
  • the rotary drum is in a shape of a cylindrical hollow body, and the space is constituted of a through-hole penetrating through a peripheral wall that forms the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum.
  • the space is constituted of the through-hole penetrating through the peripheral wall that forms the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum.
  • the space has a pair of side walls that are separated from each other in a rotation direction of the rotary drum, and the absorptive body put into the space is held by the pair of the side walls in the conveying step and the joining step.
  • the absorptive body put into the space is held by the pair of the side walls of the space in the conveying step and the joining step.
  • the peripheral velocity difference between the sealer unit and either the first part or the second part can be reduced to an increased extent. This makes it possible to further reduce a discrepancy between the sealing areas on the outward and homeward paths through which the superposed parts of the continuous material are joined to each other.
  • the method for manufacturing the wearable article described in the above embodiments has a capability to reduce a discrepancy between sealing areas on outward and homeward paths through which superposed parts of a continuous material are joined to each other when a wearable article that includes an absorptive body is manufactured.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Vascular Medicine (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Botany (AREA)
  • Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)
US17/921,713 2020-05-08 2021-05-07 Method for manufacturing wearable article Pending US20230233382A1 (en)

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CN105934330B (zh) * 2013-12-26 2018-08-07 株式会社瑞光 超声波熔接装置
JP6302675B2 (ja) * 2014-01-10 2018-03-28 ユニ・チャーム株式会社 吸収性物品に係るシート状部材の超音波溶着装置、及び超音波溶着方法
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US11850129B2 (en) * 2019-04-10 2023-12-26 Zuiko Corporation Apparatus and method for manufacturing absorbent core used in disposable wearable article
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CN115484904A (zh) 2022-12-16
EP4137107A1 (en) 2023-02-22
JPWO2021225170A1 (zh) 2021-11-11
EP4137107A4 (en) 2023-09-13

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